An activated carbon-supported copper and cerium catalyst-sorberit (Cu-Ce/AQ is studied for phenol adsorption from a water phase and catalytic oxidation of the adsorbed phenol under dry conditions. The Cu-Ce/AC has high phenol adsorption capacities and high phenol oxidation activities. The phenol saturation adsorption capacity of the fresh Cu-Ce/AC is about 209 mg/g. With increasing adsorption-oxidation cycles (repeat uses), the phenol adsorption capacity decreases consecutively to a stable value of about 78 mg/g when the oxidation is carried out at 250 degrees C toy 2 It, which is better than that of other types of AC-based materials. The initial oxidation temperature for phenol is about 160 degrees C, which is 150 degrees C lower than the ignition temperature of the AC. The main oxidation products are CO2 and H2O with a small amount of desorbed phenol. The decrease in phenol adsorption capacity after the oxidation is caused by the formation of phenol polymeric residues, which block the micropore and perhaps cover the active sites. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.